Bayern Munich duo Luis Díaz and Dayot Upamecano finish outside the Ballon d’Or top 20

The countdown to the Ballon d’Or award ceremony is underway, and nominees are receiving their final rankings in the lead-up to the event. Luis Díaz and Dayot Upamecano, two of Bayern Munich’s most important players, finished in 24th and 26th place, respectively:

For context, Vinicius Jr. of Real Madrid had a far less impressive season than the Colombian winger, yet he finished 17th. Pau Cubarsí, one of the brightest young defenders on the rise who is arguably nowhere near Upamecano’s level, came in at 12th, while Achraf Hakimi took 13th place.

Objectively, Díaz and Upamecano were two of Bayern’s best players last season, and their impact on the team cannot be understated. Yet, their positions suggest that voters believe they shouldn’t even be among the nominees.

Bayern has two more nominees remaining in the top 30: Michael Olise and Harry Kane, both of whom are guaranteed top-10—or perhaps even top-5—finishes. Only their exact final rankings are left to be revealed.

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